| 释义 |
humble-bee|ˈhʌmb(ə)lˌbiː|
Also 5 humbul-, -yl-.
[Known only from the 15th c.; but possibly an old word, representing an OE. *humbol-béo: cf. OHG. humbal, humpal, MHG. humbel, hummel (masc.), Ger. hummel fem., hummelbiene, the large wild-bee, MLG. homele, hummelbe, homelbe, MDu. hommel (m. and f.), Kilian hommel, bommel, ‘bombilius, fucus, et crabro’, Du. hommel masc. a drone-bee, Da. humlebi, Sw. humla (from LG.).
The b in OHG. and MHG. makes it somewhat doubtful whether the n. was orig. derived from the root of hummen to hum; but there can be little doubt of the subsequent association of hummel with the dim. vb. hummeln, or of humble-bee with humble v.2]
A large wild bee, of the genus Bombus, which makes a loud humming sound; a bumble-bee.
a1450Fysshynge w. angle (1883) 26 In Juyll the greshop & the humbylbee in the medow. c1470in Rel. Ant. I. 86 The humbul-be [v.r. hombull-be] haundylt a horne-pype. c1475Pict. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 767/20 Hic tabanus, a humbylbee. 1547Boorde Introd. Knowl. ii. (1870) 126 Lyke the hussyng of a homble be. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. iii. i. 171 The honie-bags steale from the humble Bees. 1781S. Peters Hist. Connecticut 260 The Humble-bee is almost as large as the humming-bird. 1859Darwin Orig. Spec. iii. (1873) 57 Humble-bees alone visit red clover, as other bees cannot reach the nectar.
b. attrib. † humble-bee orchis, the Bee Orchis.
1597Gerarde Herbal i. ci. §3. 163 The Humble Bee Orchis hath a fewe small weake and shorte leaues. |